ABC Supply founder dies in accident

Ken Hendricks, founder, chairman and CEO of ABC Supply, passed away on Dec. 21 after falling from a construction site at his home in Afton, Wis. Hendricks was 66 years old.

The cause of death was a head injury.

According to a companys pokes person, Hendricks had just return ed home on a Thursday evening and was checking on the progress of an addition to his house. He fell from the flooring deck and was rushed to Rockville Memorial Hospital, where he died in surgery early the next morning.

Hendricks started his career as a roofer and went on to found the industry’s largest distributor of roofing materials, with 390 locations in 46 states. He and wife Diane established a number of businesses in the steel and aluminum manufacturing industries, as well as in insurance, pharmaceutical, real estate and logistics.

Hendricks was also a noted civic booster and philanthropist. Inc. Magazine named him its Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006. Forbes listed Hendricks in 91st place on its list of the richest people in the United States in 2006 with a net worth of $3.5 billion. He is survived by his wife and seven children, several of whom serve as executives at ABC Supply or its sister companies.

Head quartered in Beloit, Wis., ABC Supply also distributes siding, windows and other exterior building materials. The company ranked fifth on HCN’s Top 350 Pro Dealer scoreboard in 2007, with sales of $3 billion.